Thursday, June 26, 2014

Anderson Cooper spoke with Rep. John Lewis joining the Civil Rights Movement and Rep Lewis had some advice for the next generation, especially about voting rights. While not usually a fan of CNN's self promotion on AC360, this was a good interview...

2 comments:

Thursday's 360 was notable for what wasn't there. Nothing on the SCOTUS decision putting down the Massachusetts law that created a buffer zone around abortion clinics. Unfair restriction on free speech said the court. Also, the GOP has been ruffling its own feathers about Obama's use of executive orders. There's talk of Boehner filing a lawsuit even though the number of Obama's executive orders are far below Dubya's.

If you wanted to know more about dad Harris in Georgia who left his toddler son in the car and the son's death due to hyperthermia - you're in luck because this was Anderson's lead story and he spent two segments on it.Martin Savidge reported the details and re-enacted Harris' commute that fateful day. Savidge was also on the panel with Sunny Hostin, Mark Geragos and Areva Martin. They had a good discussion, covering accident vs. intentional, motive if it was intentional, police search of computers and possible measures in the future to prevent this from happening again. Hostin stated her method of not ever leaving a baby in a car: she places her shoes in the backseat and drives barefoot. "Because I would never walk into work barefoot!" she said. However my state (and many others) frown upon driving barefoot. And what do you do in the rain? or winter?

Anderson's second segment on this topic was another interview with Lyn Balfour, who was in this horrible situation and Gene Weingarten from the Washington Post. Anderson's questions and Balfour's answers weren't much different from her interview earlier this week. Weingarten was a great addition and if you can search for and read his article "Fatal Distraction".

The current situation in Iraq and ISIS was covered by Arwa Damon and Anderson talked to her and Ali Soufan for further details.

Nancy Grace's revelation to a Detroit dad that his missing son was in the basement of his house got a full segment. The clip of this was shown and Susan Candiotti gave more information. This story was heavily touted and discussed earlier by CNN programs so I wandered over to MSNBC.

I stayed with MSNBC because I'm not fond of watching Anderson do lengthy promos for whatever is being broadcast after him. Whether he's talking to Rep. John Lewis or Anthony Bourdain, it disappoints me that 360 time is taken to publicize the 9 pm (EST) program instead of covering important news like a SCOTUS decision.

The Ridiculist about an old ladies' music video wasn't as good as the owl on the Swifter one.

I didn't see a Bulletin. Maybe there was one and the news about SCOTUS and buffer zones and the news about Boehner's anger over Obama's executive orders were both blips in the Bulletin.Nevertheless, both these stories deserved full reports.

The woman whose child died because she forgot he was in the car's story was horrifying. The enormous shock and guilt a parent must feel having realized what they've done must be unbearable. As horrible as it is to have something like this happen, the reasons given by the mother and the WaPo writer made a lot of sense and I can see why some parents may have made this tragic and heartbreaking mistake.

I liked seeing civil rights activist Rep. John Lewis on the show but I wish he would've had more time to discuss how the GOP is trying to turn back the clock on voting rights today--this is not a subject that AC360 cares to cover, so it would've been good if Lewis could've highlighted what's been happening in certain states to make it harder for blacks and others to vote.

Sunny Hostin is always reminding viewers that she's a 'former prosecuter', jeez, she blurts that out as many times as possible during her appearances on 360. Sunny, honey, we get it.